It’s one of the most important questions anyone can ask.
The Bible is the foundation of Christian belief. But where did it come from? Who actually wrote it? And can we really trust something so old?
Let’s explore.
A Library, Not a Single Book
The Bible isn’t one book with one author. It’s a collection of 66 writings, gathered into two main parts:
The Old Testament (before Jesus)
The New Testament (about Jesus and the early Christian movement)
It was written over 1,500 years by more than 40 authors—kings, prophets, poets, doctors, fishermen, shepherds, and scholars. They lived in different centuries and cultures, but their writings connect with surprising unity. Christians believe that this unity points to something greater than human effort: divine inspiration. Furthermore, the book has surprises carefully knit within through chapter numbers, verses and topics as if cleverly placed for advanced readers, but they are merely coincidental because there is no connection to the authors of the words and the ones who placed chapter numbers and verses in modern bibles.
What Do Christians Believe?
Christians believe that God inspired the authors of Scripture—not by dictation, but by guiding their thoughts, experiences, and words. The result is a book that carries God’s truth, told through human voices.
“All Scripture is God-breathed…” — 2 Timothy 3:16
This doesn’t mean every word was written in the same way or tone. Some parts are poetry. Some are history. Some are deeply symbolic. But Christians believe God’s message flows through it all.
What About the New Testament?
The New Testament was written by eyewitnesses of Jesus and their close companions. It includes:
The Gospels (witness accounts of Jesus’ life)
Letters (written to early churches)
Revelation (a prophetic vision)
Most New Testament writings were completed within 30–60 years after Jesus’ death. That’s incredibly fast by ancient standards—and means many original readers could fact-check or challenge false claims. And yet, the core message spread with power and consistency.
Hasn’t the Bible Changed Over Time?
This is a common question. But historians and scholars have discovered thousands of ancient manuscripts—some dating within decades of the originals. The core message has remained remarkably consistent.
For example, the Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in the 1940s, contained parts of the Old Testament written more than 2,000 years ago. When compared to today’s modern bible versions, the differences were minor—and mostly spelling or style. Nothing was altered or changed and everything was remarkably well preserved.
Even skeptics have admitted: there is no ancient text as well-preserved and well-documented as the Bible.
Can You Trust It?
That depends on what kind of trust you’re asking about.
If you’re asking:
“Is it historically credible?” → Yes, overwhelmingly.
“Has it changed over time?” → Not in its core message.
“Does it still speak to us today?” → That’s something you’ll have to explore for yourself.
Many Christians say the Bible isn’t just trustworthy—it’s alive. It challenges, comforts, convicts, and changes people. Its author is still speaking through it.
Final Thought
No one is expected to trust something blindly. But the Bible invites a kind of trust that grows the more you engage with it. If you’ve never read it—or have only read bits out of context—start fresh. Can you draw an true educated opinion against something if you haven't read or tried it? And if it is metaphorically a love letter from God written directly to you, how will you ever know if you don't read it? You don’t need to understand it all. You just need to begin. The journey of reading the bible isn't academic mastery; its transformative through simple, repeat usage.
“What if this old book holds a message that’s still meant for me?”
That’s a good question to start with.